Ayot St Lawrence, Shaws Corner c.1955

History

Caption for Ayot St Lawrence, Shaws Corner c1955

The home of George Bernard Shaw has remained unchanged since his death: his hat still hangs in the hall, whilst his typewriter stands on his study desk where he wrote 'Pygmalion', 'Back to Methuselah' and 'Saint Joan'. It is said that he chose the village as his home when he noticed a tombstone in the churchyard which reads: 'Mary Ann South, born 1825, died 1895. Her time was short' - if 70 years was short, he was sure that this was the place for him. Indeed, GBS lived for 94 years, and died in the garden of the New Rectory after falling from a ladder whilst pruning his fruit trees. The house and its contents, including the photographs of prominent Socialist leaders (on the mantelpiece, left), were bequeathed to the National Trust; they, and the annual Midsummer Art Festival, attract many visitors every year.

Memories of Ayot St Lawrence

Many of my family lived in Ayot St Lawrence, pre and post war. Both sets of grandparents lived there. Arthur and Elsie Smith, lived at Forge Cottage and worked at Ayot Cottage & later worked at Abbotshay Farm and lived then at Church Cottage. Lou and Fen Harding ran The Brocket Arms, later my uncle Peter Harding ...Read full memory

I was born in Hitchin Hospital in 1948 & we lived in Abbotshay Cottage , before moving to The Home Farm Delaport in Wheathampstead , when I was 11. The post office was run by an elderly lady whose name I feel was Miss Lythe. The milk was delivered daily by Mrs Tucker . The Brocket Arms was very popular , Sunday ...Read full memory

A delightful place to work if only for six months. We would lunch at the Brocket Arms or take a picnic into the grounds by the swimming pool. We did work as well; caring for the silk worms in the mornings and showing visitors around in the afternoons. My favourite task would be to walk the grounds collecting flowers ...Read full memory

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